Tropidia disticha Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 94
Type: Schlechter 13890 (syn B, lost); 14090 (syn B, lost); 14298 (syn B, lost; K); 14585 (syn B, lost); 14701 (syn B, lost; K)
Terrestrial, erect, 25-40 cm high. Stems unbranched, woody, angular, at the very base covered with tightly clasping striate cataphylls, above laxly leafy. Leaves erect-patent or patent, lanceolate, acute to acuminate, veined, glabrous on both sides, 12-20 cm long, below the middle 2-3.5 cm wide, narrowed at the base, striate, tightly clasping the stem, the upper ones surpassing the inflorescence. Inflorescence usually falcate-patent, distichous, 4-6 cm long. Floral bracts almost overlapping, erect-patent, ovate, acuminate, leaf-like, c. 1 cm long, almost as long as the ovary. Median sepal lanceolate, acuminate, concave, c. 1 cm long, below the middle 0.3 cm wide, glabrous. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate-falcate, acuminate, almost as long as the median sepal. [Petals not described] Lip in outline pandurate, 0.7 cm long, above the concave base 0.3 cm wide, with incurved margins, in front rounded, apiculate, recurved, inside with two thickened lines extending from the middle to the apex. Column terete, towards the stigma a little widened, in front at the base keeled; rostellum erect, shallowly notched. Anther obcordate, acuminate; pollinia 4, the two upper ones much larger than the two, probably sterile, lower ones; stipe linear; viscidium subquadrangular. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flowers pale yellowish.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland and montane forest, sometimes in shallow streams close to the beach; 5 to 2180 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 707-13M.JPG.